Albatross Nippers are Little Rippers

Albatross Nippers are Little Rippers

Old Boy Nick Marshall (1994) is a Titled Sports and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist. He is also co-founder of Surf Life Physio at Miami on the Gold Coast. As well as travelling with the Queensland and Australian Surf Lifesaving team as an assistant coach, Nick has spent the better part of 20 years as the physiotherapist for the Australian Surf Lifesaving Teams. It was during this time that he identified a lack of opportunities for children with special needs to experience surf lifesaving and in particular for those young kids living with disabilities on the Gold Coast to experience ‘Nippers’. So in 2014 Nick launched the first all-inclusive special needs nipper program in Queensland called Albatross Nippers. Their mission is to provide a safe, friendly and inclusive environment for children with special needs to experience the surf lifesaving Sunday nipper programme, with the aim of promoting beach awareness, community spirit and fun all within an inclusive surf lifesaving environment.

Over the last three years, the programme has featured on local and national news, as well as numerous radio stations. Among the program’s ambassadors are famous ironmen, ironwomen, cricketers and footballers, including of course Queensland’s favourite son Wally Lewis. Albatross Nippers, now recognised as a registered Australian Charity with the Australian Charities and not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC), is growing and expanding every year. Nick has been recognised for this work by the APA (Australian Physiotherapy Association) and as a nominee for 2016 Pride of Australia medal.

Nick is also a published practitioner and an educator for undergraduate physio students, lecturing and tutoring at Bond University as an assistant professor. As an athlete, Nick can proudly lay claim to being the only male to compete in ten of the modern Coolangatta Gold Ironman races.